Web splicing device



June 1, 1937. 0. c. ROESEN WEB SPLICING DEVICE Original Filed Jan. 30, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I June 1, 1937. o. c. ROESEN WEB SPLICING DEVICE Original Filed Jan. 30, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 1, 1937. o. c. ROESEN WEB SPLICING DEVICE Original Filed Jan. 50, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 1, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WEB SPLICING DEVICE Virginia Application January so, 1933, Serial No. 654,236 Renewed September 3, 1935 14 Claims.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide a web splicing device which will not be as expensive as those machines which are designed to make splices at the full speed of a high speed press and yet will be capable of splicing at a speed much higher than the threading speed; to provide means for increasing the productiveness of the press, that is, reducing the amount of loss of time'involved in reducing the speed of the press and increasing it before and after the splicing and still retain a comparatively simple device; to provide a construction in which the strength of the web will not be depended upon for bringing the incoming roll up to speed from zero, and to provide for imparting to the incoming roll an initial rotation by force applied other than through the running web itself so as to get the roll to rotating before it comes into contact with the running web and bringing it up to running speed of the web by the web itself within one revolution when the paster is to be made and thus'relieve the web of the strain of overcoming the inertia of a stationary roll.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an end view of a splicing device construction in accordance with this invention;

30 Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the automaticv means for rotating the new roll;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are end and side views of a modified form of the invention, and

Figs. 7 and 8 are end and side views of another modification.

In order to print newspapers with a considerable degree of speed it is necessary to splice the new paper rolls to the running web without stopping the press because the deceleration of the press and its acceleration take considerable time. In general this has been done in the past in connection with the rotatable reel carrying a number'of paper rolls, at threading speed. This, as

, stated, requires deceleration and acceleration.

of the presses is increased without necessitating the expensive automatic machines.

Very often the slow speed pasters depend on the strength of the web for bringing the incoming roll up to the speed required. This results in 6 web breaks and a further decrease in the emciency of the whole plant. By this invention a rotation is imparted to the incoming roll by force applied through its center by other means than the running web. 10

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the fresh roll ID, the running roll II, and the spare roll I2 are mounted on a well known type of reel l3 rotating on a shaft i4. Although not shown herein, it is well understood that this shaft and reel are ordi- 15 narily rotated by a motor which can be operated as desired for the purpose of turning the reel around and bringing the new roll into pasting position as shown in dotted'lines'in Fig. 1 and thereafter bringing it into running position, that is, the position shown by the roll ll. Any other movable roll support can be used.

In this figure is shown a part of the splicing mechanism in the form of a frame I! pivoted on a'shaft l8 having a brush or brushes I9 for use in performing the splicing action and also having a knife 20 for severing the web. The operation of these parts is well understood.

On each of the arms at one end of the reel I3 is located a substantially radial frame 24 running in radial ways on the arm in a radial direction. On the spindle 2| of each one of the rolls is a pinion 22 meshing with a rack 24 which is a part of the frame. In stationary position is located a cam 23 fixed to the frame of the press and on the slide 24 on which the rack 24- is located is a roller 25 adapted to come into contact with the cam 23 as the reel is rotated to bring the roll Ill up into splicing position.

In Fig. 1 the fresh roll I0 is shown in full lines just having been moved beyond the cam. This has caused the roller 25 to engage the cam and the rack and its frame to be forced downwardly or inwardly toward the center of the reel. The frame 24 is backed up by a spring 26 which is compressed by the action of the cam and roller until the collar 2'! at the bottom of the frame 24 is engaged and pressed back by a spring-pressed latch 28 which holds the collar in that position. Now, as the reel continues to rotate from the full line to the dotted line position, one end of the lever 29 engages a cam 30 fixed on the stationary supporting frame of the reel, namely on the hub which carries the shaft l4. The other end of this lever is attached to the end of the latch 28.

The action of the cam 30 withdraws the lever and also withdraws the latch. This releases the spring 26 so that it forces the rack and its frame outwardly again and rotates the pinion .through 5 internal ratchet teeth 3| on the pinion and pawls 32 pivotally mounted on the spindle 2|. Motion of rotation on its own axis is thus imparted to the roll III. of course, as the pawls 22 are spring-pressed, the motion of the rack inwardly does not turn the spindle and the roll but they are positively turned in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 when the rack is forced outwardly by the spring 26. As soon as the rack has moved outwardly to its limit the roll is left freely l5 spinning but with no positive means for rotating it.

At this time the operator manipulates the brush I! to press the web running from the roll H against the roll III which is, as usual, provided with a spot 33 to splice the web. It will be understood, of course, that further pressure on the brush as soon as the splice is made operates the knife 20 and severs the web.

It will be seen that the roll is given a motion of rotation on its own axis imparted to it by the rotation of the reel which supports the three rolls and taking place at a definite point in the rotation of the reel. Thus the roll III will rotate at the proper time just before splicing when it comes into contact with the running web. The motion of the web toward the press coming into contact with the surface of the roll also assists in rotating the roll. In this way much of the strain on the incomingweb is eliminated and 35 successful pasters are made at speeds much higher than threading speed, and in fact at web speed, because the rotating roll is under control of the web at the time of splicing. Obviously this is all done in less than one rotation of the roll.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6 all the features of this invention are the same as those on the first sheet except that the cam 23 is eliminated and instead of it an air cylinder 40 is 5 provided on each of the arms of the spider and the piston 41 in this cylinder is connected directly with the frame 24 for operating it. In this form the machine is compelled to operate at the same time as in the first form described because the operator opens an air valve 42 when he brings the brush up to the web which allows air under pressure to communicate with a port 43 in a ring 44* fixed to the hub of the standard or frame on which the reel is mounted. 55 On the shaft II is mounted a secondring 44 having a. series of ports 45 in a circle and of course, rotating with the shaft. As the reel is rotated in a clockwise direction one of the ports 45 comes opposite the port 43 and air is let into 60 the cylinder 40 at that particular time. The air valve is immediately closed again but the roll in has been given a motion of rotation. With the air valve closed the rack 24 will reset itself by gravity, a suitable vent being provided.

65 In Figs. 7 and 8 an electrical form of the invention is shown operating the same as the other forms except that when the operator brings the brush arm to operating position a pair of contacts 46 and 41, one on the brush arm and the 70 other stationary, are closed, completing a circuit to a solenoid 48. This solenoid thus operates automatically when the brush arm is moved to operating position and opens an air valve 49 to allow air to be admitted to the port 43. Al-

75 though not shown in full the same circuit which is closed by the contacts 46 and 41 can be arranged to start the motor which rotates the reel in a clockwise direction until the port 45 registers with the port "43. This allows air to be admitted into the air cylinder 40 in the same manner as described above.

In each case it will be seen'that the fresh web roll is given a motion of rotation on its own axis so that when it comes into contact with the running web it will be rotating but at less than web speed and the running web can then act to bring it up to web speed without the placing of any great strain on the running web. The invention is shown in all three forms as applied to a particular 'form of splicer but it is to be understood that it can be employed with other splicers and the invention does not lie in the combination of this roll startingdevice with any particular type of splicer.

Although I have illustrated and described three forms of the invention I am aware of the fact that other modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited in this respect otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:--

1. In a device for splicing a running web to a fresh web roll, the combination of a rotatable reel having arms for supporting the running roll and a fresh roll, a pinion on the spindle of the fresh web roll, a movable rack carried by said reel and meshing with the pinion, and means for actuating said rack when the reel reaches a predetermined position to give the fresh web roll a motion of rotation through its own axis and on its own axis.

2. In a device for splicing a running web to a frwh web roll, the combination of a rotatable reel having arms for supporting the running roll and the fresh roll, each roll having a spindle, a pinion on each spindle, a rack on each of said arms at one end of the reel movable radially and engaging the respective pinion, a ratchet mechanism connected with each pinion for transmit! ting the motion of the rack in one direction to the pinion and the fresh roll to rotate the fresh roll on its own axis when the rack moves in one direction but adapted to move idly when the rack moves in the opposite direction, and stationary means in such position relative to the reel as to control the time of action of said rack in accordance with the angular position of the arms sup porting the fresh web roll.

3. In a device for splicing a running web to a fresh web roll, the combinationof a rotary reel comprising spiders at the opposite ends having arms for supporting the rolls, a spindle for one of the rolls on each arm, a pinion freely mounted on each spindle, a ratchet mechanism for connecting each spindle with its pinion so that it can rotate in one direction only, a radially movable rack on each arm engaging the pinion and adapted to be moved at a predetermined point in the rotation of the reel to give the fresh web roll a motion of rotation on its own axis when the reel reaches the predetermined point, and guiding means on one spider for said racks.

4. In a web splicing device, the combination of a rotary reel having an arm for supporting one end of the fresh web roll, a guide on said am, a frame mounted to reciprocate radially in the guide, said frame having a substantially radial rack, the roll having a spindle provided with a pinion meshing with said rack and free on the spindle, and a ratchet mechanism fixed to the spindle for transmitting a rotary motion of said pinion in one direction to the spindle and roll but not in the opposite direction.

5. In a web splicing device, the combination of a reel having arms thereon, a spindle supported in one of said arms and carrying one end of a fresh web roll, a ratchet mechanism secured to the spindle, a pinion connected with the ratchet mechanism, whereby the rotation of the pinion in one direction will rotate the spindle and roll but not in the other, a rack slidably mounted on said arm and meshing with the pinion, a stationary cam in position to move said frame and rack inwardly when the reel rotates to a position for engagingthe cam, the ratchet mechanism being so arranged that this action of the rack will not rotate the web roll, and a spring for forcing the rack in the opposite direction and rotating the web roll when the rack and frame move back.

6. In a web splicing device, the combination of a rotary reel, a spindle thereon for supporting one end of a fresh web roll, a pinion on said spindle, means operable in one direction only for rotating said spindle, a movable frame having a rack meshing with said pinion, a cam roll on the frame, a stationary cam located in position to engage the cam roll and force it inwardly when the reel rotates to a certain position, a rod connected with the frame, a collar fixed on the rod, a spring behind said collar for forcing the rod and frame outwardly, a latch for said collar adapted to hold it retracted, and stationary means for releasing said latch when the reel rotates to a second predetermined position and allowing the spring to move the rack and rotate the web roll.

7. In a web splicing device, the combination of a reel having means thereon for supporting a spindle and one end of a web roll to which the spindle is connected, a frame radially movable on the reel, the spindle of a fresh web roll, mounted to turn, means actuated by the radial motion of the frame for turning said spindle, a piston positively connected with said frame for operating it, a cylinder in which the piston is located, and means for supplying fluid to said cylinder, said means comprising a stationary port connected with a source of fluid under pressure, and a port carried by the reel and at the same distance from the axis of the reel as the first port, and means for conducting the fluid from the second port to said cylinder, whereby when the reel rotates to a position in which the two ports are in registration the fluid will be conducted to the cylinder, the piston operated and the roll rotated on its own axisn 8. In a web splicing device, the combination of a movable support having means thereon for supporting a spindle and one end of a web roll to which the spindle is connected, a frame movable on the support, means actuated by said frame for rotating the spindle and the new roll, a piston connected with said frame for operating it, a cylinder in which the piston is located, means for supplying fluid to said cylinder, said means comprising a stationary port connected with a source of fluid under pressure, and a port carried by the support, means for conducting the fluid from the second port to said cylinder, a solenoid mounted in stationary position, a movable frame, means on the movable frame for pressing the web yieldingly toward the fresh web roll, means connected with said movable frame for connecting the solenoid with a source of power when the frame is moved up to operative position, and means connected with the solenoid for opening a valve to supply fluid under pressure to said ports and cylinder. I

9. In a web splicing device, the combination of a movable support for supporting a fresh roll, means movable relatively to the moving of the support for rotating the fresh roll by power applied through its own axis, and means, controlled by the position of the movable support, for actuating the first named means.

10. In a web splicing device, the combination of a movable support for a fresh roll, means for storing up energy by the motion of said support for speeding up the fresh roll, with means controlled by the position of the movable support for releasing said energy and speeding up the fresh roll.

11. In a web splicing device, the combination with a rotatable magazine reel for carrying a plurality of web rolls, means located at intervals around the reel for spinning the fresh roll, and a single device for releasing the several spinning means associated with each web roll position while the fresh roll is out of contact with the running web.

12. In a web splicing device, the combination with a rotatable support for a running roll and a fresh web roll, a spindle for the fresh roll, means for pressing the running web and fresh roll together to make 9. splice, and means for severing the web, of an air cylinder, a piston therein, a rack connected to be operated by said piston, and a ratchet wheel connected with the rack to be operated thereby and mounted on said spindle for giving the spindle of the fresh web roll a boost at the time of splicing.

13. In a web splicing device, the combination with a rotatable magazine reel for mounting a running roll and a fresh roll, means for giving the fresh roll a boost at the time of splicing, web splicing means movable from inoperative to operative position, and a pivoted arm having means for initiating the boosting means by the motion of the splicing arm from inoperative to operative position.

14. In a web splicing device, the combination with a movable support for a fresh roll and a running roll, of mechanical means connected with the axis of the fresh roll and carried by said support for storing up energy for rotating the fresh roll before splicing, means for releasing said energy, and means for applying said energy for speeding up the fresh roll at about the time of splicing.

OSCAR CHARLES ROESEN. 

